Chocolate Tart

Last week, while making cheesecake, I made too much of the biscuit base ( read about it here) which left me with twice the amount of base I needed. I put the extra away in my fridge, and discovered it a few days later, and this just so happened to coincide with an intense chocolate craving that I was having.

I found some dark chocolate at home, and some regular Amul cream, and voila- a chocolate
tart to satisfy my cravings!

Cheesecake for Lunch!

So this is my first recipe on the blog! I love to eat food, and it turns out I like to cook too. One of my resolutions this year was to do more with my time, and the plan is to make something yummy at least once a week. I hope I stick to it!

It was a friend's birthday on Monday, and the most appropriate gift I could think of was a good, dense fulfilling cheesecake. So I did what any novice would do- I googled it :D

Good Feeling

Happy New Year everyone. I know my first post of the year is coming well into January, but better late than never!

I have a very good feeling about this year, partly because the last few months of 2013 were all about change in my life- change which was all for the better. I'm hoping this year is filled with new adventures, happy people, good books, cupcakes and of course, pretty clothes, along with lots more change.

Speaking of change, I chopped all my hair off! ( well most of it) I thought it might suit me, and if it didn't, well its hair- it'll grow back.

We need a little Christmas!

Tis the season! There is something so wonderful about this time of the year-  everyone is home for the holidays, we all become gluttons for plum cake and wine, and there is an almost palpable cheer in the air.

I took inspiration from the season's colours for this outfit. What my clothes lack

Keep that Coffee Hot!

I'm a fan of filter coffee and chai. All these lattes ,cappuccinos and espressos just don't hit the right spot for me. On a regular trip to any of these coffee shops, I just stick to tea. So when Starbucks opened up in the city a couple of weeks ago, I wasn't waiting in line on the first day to get a cup of one of their much talked about brews. I went much later, thinking I'd be able to avoid all the frenzy and long queues- and boy was I wrong! And after a visit to Starbucks, I now see what the fuss is all about!

Situated opposite Raheja Arcade in Koramangala, Starbucks is pretty hard to miss , and is easily recognizable by the long line of people waiting outside to enter. The decor and ambiance are impeccable- and the attention to detail is astounding.

Most of the photographs have been taken by the talented Mr. Anoop Nagendra ( some have been taken by me :) ) You can view more of his work here 

Christmas cheer was in the air, and the place was full of  wreaths, baubles and  the famous red cups !

 Since it was my first time there, I wanted to get a mix of things to eat and drink.

Club Sandwich

Starbucks Signature Hot Chocolate

Christmas Special- Praline Mocha

Fudgy Chocolate Chip Cookie

Red Velvet Orange Cake

The Signature Hot Chocolate and their Christmas special Praline Mocha (iced) were divine! So were the club sandwich and chocolate chip cookie. The Red Velvet Orange Cake however didn't live up to our expectations ( partly because it looked SO good) . I've definitely had better red velvet cake in Bangalore. 

Overall experience - Super!

Details and pictures of what I wore below-

Jeans and Grey Top : Zara; Jacket : Tommy Hilfiger; Shoes : Bata; Beanie : Dastakar ; 

Bag : Mango; Owl Chain : Forever 21; Watch : Calvin Klein; Wristbands : Handmade

Similar jeans scan be found  here and here, similar shoes can be found here, and similar beanies can be found here .

Sunny Days

When it comes to food and cuisines, Italian and Indian are on top of my list. There is something so comforting about a bowl of warm pasta in marinara sauce or a really really cheesy lasagna. And Sunny's  is a household name for Italian food in Bangalore. Although on the pricey side, they serve excellent food- consistently. AND they are pet friendly!

Sunny's has been around for a while, although in various locations. They recently moved from Vittal Mallya Road to Lavelle Road ( literally a stone's throw away) and so we went to see the new place.They have converted an old bungalow to a gorgeous two level restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. The old Sunny's was very well done, and was quite glamourous, but their new space has a charm  and warmth that that was lacking in the old space.  

All photographs have been taken by Anoop Nagendra. You can see more of his work here

Freshly baked bread with herb garlic butter

Grilled basa with a tomato-jalapeno sauce and steamed vegetables

Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse

The food was excellent ( no surprise there) Other favourites on the menu include greek salad with grilled shrimp and chicken, angel hair pasta with shrimp, margarita pizza, and for dessert- Barbara's ganache tart ( it is to die for! )

Pictures with my outfit below :)

These pants have a beautiful self-print and the material is deliciously soft.

Top : Forever 21; Pants : Zara; Shoes : Charles and Keith; Bag : Forever New

Earrings : Aldo Accessories; Rings : Commercial Street, Bangalore

A Thing Called Love

Last weekend was quite epic for Bangalore music lovers.On Friday evening Above and Beyond played in the city for the second time and NH7 Weekender was over Saturday and Sunday - with lots and lots of artists and stages for all kinds of music genres. I made it to the concert on Friday, but couldn't go for NH7( really bummed that I missed out on The Raghu Dixit Project , Kailasa, Papon and the East India Company and many many more)

Bangalore's edm scene has been exploding - just this year we've had Tiesto, Hardwell , Swedish House Mafia, Paul Van Dyk and Fedde leGrand all perform in the city (the last two were at Surnburn Bangalore) . And popular opinion is that the Above and Beyond concert at Jayamahal last year has been the best so far.  So expectations were quite high for their second stint in the city. 

The extremely talented Anoop Nagendra shot these before I left for the concert. 

                              

Denim Jacket : Old Navy; Neon Tank : Vero Moda; Necklace : Colaba Causeway, Mumbai

White Shorts : Goa ;   Sling Bag : Cupidity ;   Slippers : Westside ;   Wayfarers : Ray Ban

Here are some pictures from the concert itself :

Follow me on Instagram for more :)

With all the concerts coming up (Steve Aoki at Sound Awake this weekend, and Avicii the weekend after that ) , here are a couple of concert wardrobe do's and don'ts :

1. Wear comfortable and sturdy footwear : The last thing you want getting in your way is a broken chappal  or a really bad shoe-bite.
2. Carry a light sling bag : Make sure you have something just for your essentials; it is a pain to lug around a heavy bag at a concert.
3.  Don't wear something that can't get wet/ dirty/soiled : Concerts are full of lots of mud, people spilling their drinks everywhere and if there's rain, lots of slush. Don't wear something that will get totally ruined after one wear at a concert ( believe me, I'm speaking out of experience)

Here's to lots more music in Bangalore :)

Deepali